Cultivating and tilling machine



Dec. 23, 1952 w. WHARTON 2,622,498

CULTIVATING AND TILLING MACHINE Filed June 18, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet l F/G.Z.

78 s so I IO Dec. 23, 1952 w. WHARTON CULTIVATING AND TILLING MACHINE 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 18, 1946 Dec. 23, 1952 w. WHARTON 2,622,493

CULTIVATING AND TILLING MACHINE Filed June 18, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 3Inventor 2y fig/ Altorney Patented Dec. 23, 1952 CULTIVATING AND TELLINGMACHINE William Wharton, Hadley Wood, near Barnet, England ApplicationJune 18, 1946, Serial No. 677,479% In Great Britain December 15, 1944Section 1, Public Law 690, August 8, 1946 Patent expires December 15,1964 13 Claims.

This invention relates to cultivating and tilling machines and moreparticularly to machines of the light portable type designed to replacethe usual garden tools used for tilling and which can be used in veryconfined spaces.

According to this invention the machine eomprises a motor, and two ormore sets of tynes or cultivators arranged so as to absorb the torquereaction set up by the motor, said tynes or cultivators being connectedby suitable interposed. gearing and means for handling the machine.

The invention further embodies the provision of means for converting themachine into a selfsupporting and propelling machine.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate this invention:

Figures 1 and 2 are front and side elevations respectively of themachine.

Figure 3 is a vertical section on line 3-3 of Figure 4 and partly online 33' of Figure 4.

Figure 4 is a plan of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an enlarged View on line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6(a), (b) and (c) are diagrammatic views illustrating threeoperating positions.

The machine as illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 comprises an electric motorI arranged to drive a vertically disposed spindle 2, hereinafterreferred to as the driving spindle.

The gearing by means of which the cultivator units are driven preferablytakes the form illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 in which the housing 4 isformed in two halves 29 and 30, each of which is provided with recessesin which ball bearings 3! are fitted in which bearings are mounted thesleeve portions 32 of intermeshing gear means 33, 34 in which the drivencultivator spindles 5 and 8 provided on the cultivator units are securedby the nuts 35. The gear wheel 33 is arranged to mesh with a smallergear wheel 38 interconnected with the driving motor spindle 2, the lowerend of which is supported in a ball bearing 31. The upper half 29 of thecasing is furnished with a split socket element 38 cast integral withsaid casing and strengthened by webs 39 disposed on either side and infront of said socket which is designed to receive a spigot formed on thelower part of the motor I, said spigot being secured in the socket bythe bolt 43.

For the purpose of preventing excessive strains being transmitted to thegearing and/or motor in the event of the tynes l0 striking stones andlike obstructions, the gear wheel 36 is formed integral with one element36 of a clutch device, and the coact'ing element ll of said clutchdevice is arranged to slide on and rotate with the driving spindle 2,and is pressed into engagement with the clutch element 36* by a coiledspring 42, the compression of which may be adjusted by the nuts 43.

The motor I may be supplied with electric current derived from anyconvenient source, which may be led direct to the motor or to a controlswitch 33 mounted on handle bar 84.

The machine may be pushed or driven along the road, path, or ground bydepressing the handle 34 so as to lift the tynes l0 free from theground. The motor may be used to effect propulsion, or the machine maybe pushed along by hand to the desired plot it is desired to till; whenon the ground the motor, with the tynes still lifted free, is started,the tynes may now be lowered into the ground and the machine will travelforwardly.

A pair of planes 12-13 are secured by brackets l4 bolted to the casing4, said plates being maintained in correct spaced relationship by a tiebar 15 and by a bar 16 upon which is pivoted a wheel frame comprising apair of arms H on the free ends of which are mounted a pair of wheels itby means of which the machine is supported and transported. The handlefor controlling the movements of the machine comprises the longitudinalmembers 19, stayed together by suitable tie members, the free ends ofsaid members are pivotally mounted on the plates l2, 73 at 80. Each ofthe members 19 is provided with locking means comprising a springcontrolled detent 8| actuated by a flexible cable 82 and lever 83secured to the handle bar 34. The detents 8| are arranged to engage inperipheral slots 85 provided in the plates l2-l3. (as clearly shown inFigure 5). The arms 11 may be locked relatively to the body of themachine by a pair of slotted links 85 pivoted at 81 to the lower partofthe plates 12, the arms 11 are provided with a fixed pin 88 on whichthe slotted links 86 are arranged to slide when the wing nuts 89 havebeen released. The bar it has rigidly secured thereto a pair of shortlevers 9B, the free ends of said levers are connected by springs 9| tothe outer ends of a pair of brackets 92 secured to the plates 72.

Referring to the diagrammatic views illustrated in Figure 6, in theposition (a) the slotted links 36 are clamped to the arms H and themachine is being drawn through the ground for light cultivation, in thepositions (1)) and (c) the links 85 are free to slide on the pins 88 sothat with the machine in the position shown at (b) if the handle 84 ispressed forward so that the tynes l0 become slightly embedded in thesoil, their particular formation causes them to work their way into theground until the machine occupies the position shown at (c) if new thehandle 84 is drawn towards the operator the tynes break up the soil andthe springs 9| serve to draw the said tynes out of the ground withlittle additional effort on the part of the operator. The machine maythen be drawn rearwardly to a new position, and the operation repeated.

Should it be desired to till in very confined spaces such as betweenshrubs or plants in a flower bed, the spikes H secured to the tyne bar,prevent side or endwise movement, the machine being lifted from the soiland placed in a different position by hand between each out.

What I claim is:

1. A cultivating and tilling device comprising a housing member; atleast two rotatable cultivator units depending from said housing; a pairof spaced vertical plate members fixedly secured to said housing member;a handle member pivotally secured to said plate members and adjustableto a predetermined angular position with respect thereto; a wheel framesecured to said plate members at one end thereof and carrying at theopposite end thereof a pair of supporting wheels for the device; andcontrol means carried at the free end of said handle member for remotelyand manually effecting operative engagement between said handle memberand said pair of spaced plate members in a predetermined angularposition.

2. A cultivating and tilling device comprising a housing member; atleast two rotatable cultivator units depending from said housing; eachof said cultivator units including at least two elongated, substantiallyparallel tyne members; a pair of spaced vertical plate members fixedlysecured to said housing member; a handle member pivotally secured tosaid plate members and adjustable to a predetermined angular positionwith respect thereto; a wheel frame secured to said plate members at oneend thereof and carrying at the opposite end thereof a pair ofsupporting wheels for the device; and control means carried at the freeend of said handle member for remotely and manually effecting operativeengagement between said handle member and said pair of spaced platemembers in a predetermined angular position.

3. A cultivating and tilling device comprising a housing member; atleast two rotatable cultivator units depending from said housing; eachof said cultivator units including at least two elongated, substantiallyparallel tyne members and a substantially axially disposed, pointed,spike element; a pair of spaced vertical plate members fixedly securedto said housing member; a handle member pivotally secured to said platemembers and adjustable to a predetermined angular position with respectthereto; a wheel frame secured to said plate members at one end thereofand carrying at the opposite end thereof a pair of supporting wheels forthe device; and control means carried at the free end of said handlemember for remotely and manually effecting operative engagement betweensaid handle member and said pair of spaced plate members in apredetermined angular position.

4. A cultivating and tilling device comprising a housing member; atleast two rotatable cultivator units depending from said housing; a pairof spaced vertical plate members fixedly secured to said housing member;a handle member pivotally secured to said plate members and adjustableto a predetermined angular position with respect thereto; a wheel framepivoted to said plate members at one end thereof and carrying at theopposite end thereof a pair of supporting wheels for the device;manually adjustable link means attached to said plate members and tosaid wheel frame at points spaced from the pivoting point of the samefor varying the angular inclination of said housing member andcultivator units with respect to said wheel frame and to the soilsupporting said wheels; and control means carried at the free end ofsaid handle member for remotely and manually effecting operativeengagement between said handle member on one hand and said pair ofspaced plate members and said housing member on the other hand in apredetermined angular position.

5. A cultivating and tilling device comprising a housing member; atleast two rotatable cultivator units depending from said housing; eachof said cultivator units including at least two elongated, substantiallyparallel tyne members; a pair of spaced vertical plate members fixedlysecured to said housing member; a handle member pivotally secured tosaid plate members and ad justable to a predetermined angular positionwith respect thereto; a wheel frame pivoted to said plate members at oneend thereof and carrying at the opposite end thereof a pair ofsupporting wheels for the device; manually adjustable link meansattached to said plate members and to said wheel frame at points spacedfrom the pivoting point of the same for varying the angular inclinationof said housing member and cultivator units with respect to said wheelframe and to the soil supporting said wheels; and control means carriedat the free end of said handie member for remotely and manuallyeffecting operative engagement between said handle member and said pairof spaced plate members in a predetermined angular position.

6. A cultivating and tilling device comprising a housing member; atleast two rotatable cultivator units depending from said housing; eachof said cultivator units including at least two elongated, substantiallyparallel type members and a substantially axially disposed, pointed,spike, element; a pair of spaced vertical plate members fixedly securedto said housing member; a handle member pivotally secured to said platemembers and adjustable to a predetermined angular position with respectthereto; a wheel frame pivoted to said plate members at one end thereofand carrying at the opposite end thereof a pair of supporting wheels forthe device; manually adjustable link means attached to said platemembers and to said wheel frame at points spaced from the pivoting pointof the same for varying the angular inclination of said housing memberand cultivator units with respect to said wheel frame and to the soilsupporting said wheels; and control means carried at the free end ofsaid handle member for remotely and manually eifecting operativeengagement between said handle member and said pair of spaced platemembers in a predetermined angular position.

'7. A cultivating and tilling device comprising a housing member; atleast two rotatable cultivator units depending from said housing; a pairof spaced vertical plate members fixedly secured to said housing member,each of said plate members having a plurality of slots extendinginwardly from the peripheral edge thereof; a handle member pivotallysecured to said plate members and adjustable to a predetermined angularposition with respect thereto; said handle member having detentsselectively engageable within said peripheral slots; a wheel framepivoted to said plate members at one end thereof and carrying at theopposite end thereof a pair of supporting wheels for the device; andcontrol means carried at the free end of said handle member for remotelyactuating said detents in order to dispose said handle member in apredetermined angular position.

8. A cultivating and tilling device comprising a housing member; atleast two rotatable cultivator units depending from said housing; eachof said cultivator units including at least two elongated, substantiallyparallel tyne members and a substantially axially disposed, pointed,spike element; a pair of spaced vertical plate members fixedly securedto said housing member, each of said plate members having a plurality ofslots extending inwardly from the peripheral edge thereof; a handlemember pivotally secured to said plate members and adjustable to apredetermined angular position with respect thereto; said handle memberhaving detents selectively engageable within said peripheral slots; awheel frame pivoted to said platemembers one end thereof and carrying atthe opposite end thereof a pair of supporting wheels for the device;manually adjustable link means attached to said plate members and tosaid wheel frame at points spaced from the pivoting point of the samefor varying the angu lar inclination of said housing member andcultivator units with respect to said wheel frame and to the soilsupporting wheels; and control means carried at the free end of saidhandle member for remotely actuating said detents in order to disposesaid handle member in a predetermined angular position.

9. A cultivating and tilling device comprising a housing member; atleast two rotatable cultivator units depending from said housing; a pairof spaced vertical lug means fixedly secured to said housing member; ahandle member pivotally secured to said lugs and adjustable to variouspredetermined angular positions with respect to said housing member;locking means on said handle member for holding the same in any one ofsaid various predetermined angular positions with respect to saidhousing member; and manually operable control means on said handlemember cooperating with said locking means to lock said handle member ina selected one of said various predetermined angular positions withrespect to said lug means and to said housing member, whenever desired.

10. A cultivating and tilling device comprising a housing member havinga top wall and a bottom wall; at least two cultivator units, eachincluding a cultivator shaft; bearing members arranged in said bottomwall of said housing member through which said cultivator shafts projectinto said housing member, the axes of said bearing members extendingparallel in a downward direction so that said cultivator shafts extendalso parallel in a downward di rection and said cultivator units rotateabout parallel downwardly directed axes of rotation; a motor mounted onsaid top wall of said housing member; a motor shaft forming part of saidmotor and extending into said housing member in a direction parallel tothe parallel axes of rotation of said cultivator units; first gear meansarranged within said housing member extending in a plane normal to saidaxes of rotation of said cultivator units and operatively connectingsaid motor shaft with one of said cultivator shafts so that said motorrotates this cultivator shaft during operation of the motor in aclockwise direction; and second gear means arranged within said housingmember extending also in a plane normal to said axes of rotation of saidcultivator units and operatively connecting said motor shaft with theother of said cultivator shafts so that said motor rotates said othercultivator shaft in a counter-clockwise direction; wheel means mountedon said housing member for supporting the same; a pair of plate membersfixedly secured to said housing member; and upwardly extending handlemeans pivotally mounted on said plate members.

11. A cultivating and tilling device comprising a housing member havinga top wall and a bottom Wall; at least two cultivator units, eachincluding a cultivator shaft; bearing members arranged in said bottomwall of said housing member through which said cultivator shafts projectinto said housing member, the axes of said bearing members extendingparallel in a downward direction so that said cultivator shafts extendalso parallel in a downward direction and said cultivator units rotateabout parallel downwardly directed axes of rotation; a motor mounted onsaid top wall of said housing member; a motor shaft forming part of saidmotor and extending into said housing member in a direction parallel tothe parallel axes of rotation of said cultivator units; first gear meansarranged within said housing member extending in a plane normal to saidaxes of rotation of said cultivator units and operatively connectingsaid motor shaft with one of said cultivator shafts so that said motorrotates this cultivator shaft during operation of the motor in aclockwise direction; second gear means arranged within said housingmember extending also in a plane normal to said axes of rotation of saidcultivator units and operatively connecting said motor shaft with theother of said cultivator shafts so that said motor rotates said othercultivator shaft in a counter-clockwise direction; wheel means mountedon said housing member for supporting said housing member; a pair ofplate members fixedly secured to said housing member; an upwardlyextending handle member pivotally secured to said plate members andadjustable to various predetermined angular positions with respect tosaid housing member; locking means on said handle member for holding thesame in any one of said various predetermined angular positions withrespect to said housing member; and manually operable control meanscarried at the free end of said handle member and connected with saidlocking means for remotely operating said locking means and thereby locksaid handle member in a selected one of said various predeterminedangular positions with respect to said plate members and to said housingmember, whenever desired.

12. A cultivating and tilling device comprising a housing member havinga top wall and a bottom wall; at least two cultivator units, eachincluding a cultivator shaft: bearing members arranged in said bottomwall of said housing memher through which said cultivator shafts projectinto said housing member, the axes of said hearing members extendingparallel in a downward direction so that said cultivator shafts extendalso parallel in a downward direction and said cultivator units rotateabout parallel downwardly directed axes of rotation; a motor mounted onsaid top wall of said housing member; a motor shaft forming part of saidmotor and extending into said housing member in a direction parallel tothe parallel axes of rotation of said cultivator units; first gear meansarranged within said housing member operatively connecting said motorshaft with one of said cultivator shafts so that said motor rotates thiscultivator shaft during operation of the motor in a clockwise direction;second gear means arranged also within said housing member operativelyconnecting said motor shaft with the other of said cultivator shafts sothat said motor rotates said other cultivator shaft in acounter-clockwise direction; wheel means mounted on said housing memberfor supporting the same; a pair of plate members fixedly secured to saidhousing member; and upwardly extending handle means pivotally mountedalso on said plate members.

13. A cultivating and tilling device comprising a support member; at last two cultivator units each including a cultivator shaft; bearingmembers on said support member through which said cultivator shaftsproject into said support memher, the axes of said bearing membersextending parallel in adownward direction so that said cultivator shaftsextend also parallel in a downward direction and said cultivator unitsrotate about parallel downwardly directed axes of rotation; a motormounted on said support member; a motor shaft forming part of said motorand extending in a direction parallel to the parallel axes of rotationof said cultivator units; first gear means mounted on said supportmember and operatively connecting said motor shaft with one of saidcultivator shafts so that said motor rotates this cultivator shaftduring operation of the motor in a clockwise direction; second gearmeans mounted also on said support member and operatively connectingsaid motor shaft with the other of said cultivator shafts so that saidmotor rotates said other cultivator shaft in a counter-clockwisedirection; wheel means mounted on said support member for supporting thesame; a pair of plate members fixedly secured to said support member;and upwardly extending handle means mounted also on said plate members.

WILLIAM WHARTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,506,042 Bauer Aug. 26, 19241,591,997 Pond July 13, 1926 1,592,825 Gardner et al July 20, 19262,410,273 Deubner Oct. 29, 1946

